Regenerative furnace



July 23, 1929.-

GQE.ROSE

\ REGENERATIVE FURNACE Filed Sept. 9; i922 2 Sheets-Sheet July 23,1929.' G. E. RosE I 1,721,885

REGENERATIVE FURNACE' Filed Sept. 1922 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 s] I men/Z021 62029627305 Patented July 23, 1929.

GEORGE E. ROSE0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REGENERATIVE FURNACE.

Application filed September 9, 1922. Seria1 No. 587,048.

My invention relates to regenerative furnaces such as open hearth furnaces, soaking pits etc., and particularly to an improved means for supplying fuel and air thereto.

Regenerative furnaces, as generally constructed, have a set of flues in each end connecting the furnace with the respective regenerating chambers, the set at one end conduct-ing the heated air or air and gas from the regenerative chambers or checker work to the furnace and the set at the other end leading the furnace gases to the second set of regenerative chambers. Vhen the furnace is reversed, the air and gas are supplied through the flues that previously carried away the furnace gases and the furnace gases pass out through the former air and gas ports. This has been found objectionable in that the flues,

if made large enough for the flue gases, are

too large for the air and fuel'so that their velocity on entering the furnace is so low that a proper mixture is not produced and the combustion is not sufliciently rapid or complete. Furthermore, the ports or ends of the flues near the furnace are soon burned away by the hot gases and their shape altered, which results in a poor and variable mixture of the air and fuel. The burning away of the ports has been corrected to some extent by water jacketing or cooling, but if the cooling is.ex tensive enough to protect the ports, it not only cools the incoming gas and air, but also cools the outgoing furnace gases to such an extent that the checker work is not sufficiently heated. Extensive cooling of the ports also materially lessens the draft within the furnace, as compared with what it would be if' the cooling were not so extensive.

The principal object of my invention is, therefore, to lengthen the life and increase the efficiency of regenerative furnaces by an improved port construction in which the air and fuel. ports as well as the flue gas ports are of the proper size and shape for most efficient operation and in which the air and fuel ports are protected from injury by the hot furnace gases.

I have illustrated my invention as embodied in an open hearth furnace having a movable port unit or burner at each end carrying the fuel and air nozzles, the units being adapted to be moved into the furnace so that one or more of the nozzles will register with v the flues from the regenerative chambers or be moved from the furnace leaving the flue to the checker Work open for passage of the furnace gases. I

Having indicated in a general way the nature and purpose of my invention, reference will now be had to the drawings for a complete description.

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of an open hearth furnace embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same;'

Fig. 3 is-a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form in which both the fuel and air are preheated Fig. 5 is a vertical section thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 4:.

The furnace illustrated has a hearth 10 and a flue 11, 12 at each end leading to the regenerative chambers. There is an opening 13, 14 at each end adjacent the flues adapted to be closed either by a gate 15, 16, (that may be water cooled), or by a movable port unit 17 18 having fuel and air nozzles 19, 20 formed therein. Each movable unit is secured to a carriage 21 movable on rails 22 by means of racks 23 engaged by gears 24 secured to a shaft driven from a motor 25. lVhile I have not shown the wiring diagram for the motors 25, they may be connected to operate simultaneously so that one unit may be withdrawn, the other unit inserted, the protective gates reversed, and the flue dampers turned by a single controlling means, or the connection may be arranged so that the port units, gates and dampers may be operated in any deslred sequence. The fuel nozzles 19 extend for some distance beyond the furnace and curve downward at their outerends where they are adapted to register with fuel supply pipes 26, 27 at opposite ends of the furnace. The air nozzles 20 are arched over the fuel nozzles and have a port 28, 29 on each side adapted to register with the flue 11, 12.

In operation, one of the gates as 15, is raised and the port unit 17 moved forward to close the opening 13. In this position the ports 28 register with the flue 11 so that the air nozzle receives preheated air from the checker work and the fuel nozzle 19 registers with the gas pipe 26 to receive its supply of fuel. At the opposite end of the furnace theport unit 18 is withdrawn and the gate 16 (which may be water cooled), is lowered to close the opening 1 so that the furnace gases will be directed through the downtake 12 to the regenerative chambers. When the furnace is reversed, gate 16 is raised, port unit 18 advanced, port unit 17 withdrawn and gate lowered, the flue 11 then serving as downtake for the furnace gases and the flue 12 becoming the uptake for preheated air.

The following prominent advantages are attained by my invention, namely:

The air and fuel nozzles are of restricted cross sectional area so that both fluids may be supplied under pressure, thereby giving a much better mixture, a hotterflame, and complete combustion within. the furnace The outlet ports for furnace gases are-of large size so that the velocity therein may be used may be natural gas, by-product gas,

pulverized coal, liquid fuel, or any kind of fuel that can be successfully used without preheating; while in the second case, producer gas, or any fuel that requires preheating may be used.

In Figs. 4 to 6 the furnace has a hearth 30 and end openings 31, 32 adapted to be closed either by gates 33, 34 or. the movable port units 35, 36. At each end of the furnace there is a central flue 37, 38 and two side flues 39,

' 4O connecting the furnace with the gas and air regenerative chambers. The movable unit 35 has an air nozzle 41 adapted to communicate with the two uptakes 39 on either side of the gas uptake, and a gas nozzle 42 adapted to communicate with the central uptake 37, while the burner36 at the other end has-two similar nozzles 43 and 44 respectively.

While I have fully described SPQCll'lCfOIHlS of my invention, it will be understood that it is capable of many modifications and changes in form, one obvious modification being to omit the end gates and withdraw the burners only out of the direct path of the furnace gases leaving the end openings closed by the burners, and I contemplate as my invention, all modifications or equivalents that may come within the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each end adapted to serve alternately as uptake and downtake when the furnace is reversed, and-a movable combined fuel and end not in registry with a unit will be unobstructed and serve as a downtake.

3. In combination, a furnace having a flue at each end and anopening in each Wall ad j acent the flue, an air and fuel port unit at each end of the furnace, means for moving one of the units into the furnace throughthe opening and into registry with the adjacent flue and means for withdrawing the opposite unit from thefurnace, and means for reversing the positions of the respective units relative to the flues when the furnace is reversed.

4. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a flue at each end and an opening in eachwall adjacent the flue, means for closing one of the end wall openings, and means for supplying air and fuel through a movable unit closing the other end wall opening and restricting the adjacent flue.

5. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a flue at each end, a movable port unit at each end, means for entering one port unit into the furnace to register with one flue, and means for withdrawing the other port unit to open the opposite flue.

6. Incombination, a regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each end providing a downtake for furnace gases or an airaiptake, a movable unit adjacent each flue having air and fuel nozzles, means for inserting one burner in the furnace so that the air nozzle registers with the adjacent flue whereby air will be supplied to the air nozzle, means for supplying fuel to the fuel nozzle, and means for withdrawing the opposite movable unit out of registry with the adjacent flue, whereby the flue serves as a downtake for the furnace gases.

7 In combination, a regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each end and an opening in each end Wall adjacent the flue, a movable unit at each end adapted to be inserted in the opening, an air nozzle in the movable unit adapted to register with the adjacent flue, a fuel nozzle in the movable unit, means for supplying fuel thereto, and means for inserting and withdrawing the movable units at the opposite ends of the furnace, whereby if the unit setting is alternate the furnace may be reversed and the flues alternately conduct furnace gases" from'the furnace and heated air to the burners.

8. A regenerative furnace having afixed flue at each end thereof adapted to serve alternately as uptake and downtake, a burner at each end adjacent the respective flues, means for directing preheated fluid from the flue serving as uptake through the adjacent burner, and means for directing the furnace gases away from the other burner and through the flue serving as downtake.

' 9. A regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each end adapted to serve alternately as uptake and downtake, an air and fuel port unit adjacent each flue for alternately supplying air and fuel at each reversal of the furnace, means for supplying preheated air from the uptake to the adjacent unit, and protective means adapted to be interposed between the downtake and adjacent unit.

10. A regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each end adapted to serve alternately as uptake and downtake, a burner at each end of the furnace, means for supplying heated air from the uptake to the burner at the corresponding end of the furnace, and protective means adapted to be interposed between the burner at the opposite end and the hot furnace gases. v I

11. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a flue at, each end and an opening in each end wall, a movable-air, and fuel port unit at each end adapted to be inserted in the opening, means for inserting and withdrawing the movable units at opposite ends, and means for supplying air and fuel to the unit in inserted position, and means at each end for closing the related opening when a unit is withdrawn.

12. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a flue at each end and an opening in each end wall adjacent the flue, a movable air and gas port unit at each end adapted to be inserted through the opening and over the adjacent flue, an air nozzle in the unit adapted to register with the'flue, a fuel nozzle in the unit, means for supplying fuel thereto, and means for inserting and withdrawing the units at the opposite ends of the furnace, and

means at each end for closing the related opening when arunit is withdrawn.

13. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each-end, a movable unit adjacent each flue, fuel'and air nozzles in each unit, the air nozzle having a lateral inlet through the unit, means for supplying fuel to the fuel nozzle, means for moving one of the units over its adjacent flue so that the lateral inlet communicates with the flue,- and means for withdrawing the other unit from its adjacent flue.

14. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a flue at each end, a movable unit'adjacent each flue, fueland air nozzles in each unit, the air nozzle having a lateral inlet, means for supplying fuel to the fuel nozzle, means for moving one of the units over its adjacent flue so that the lateral inlet communicates with the flue, means for withdrawing the other unit from its adjacent flue, and a protective gateadapted to be inserted between the withdrawn unit and the adjacent flue.

having a fixed flue leading to a regenerative chamber and an opening in the furnace adj acent'the flue, a movable unit having fuel and air intakes, fuel and air nozzles in the unit in communication with the respective intakes, a fuel supply passage, means for moving the unit into the opening with the air intake in communication with the flue and the fuel intake in communication with the fuel passa e.

%6. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a flue at each end, a movable port unit at each end adjacent the flue, said units being separately movable from or to operative position relative to their respective flues, and protective means interposed between an 1noperat-ive unit and the related flue.

17. In combination, a regenerative furnace 15. In combination, a regenerative furnace having a fixed flue at each end providing I an outlet for the furnace gases, a movable port unit at each end adjacent the flue, independent means adapting the units for alternate operation and restricting the port adjacent the operating unit, and protect ve means interposed between the inoperativ unit and the adjacent flue.

In testimony whereof I aflix my s1gnature.

' GEORGE E. ROSE. 

